Blue Sundress + Being Kind

Dress// Heeled Sandals

Sunglsases// Wicker Bag// Gold Bangles

My husband and I were winding down before bed one evening and decided to turn on A Man Called Otto on Netflix. It's a movie starring Tom Hanks, and I had no idea what it was about. It came out in 2022, and a few minutes into it, I said to my husband, 'Doesn't this look like Pittsburgh?' I vaguely remembered Tom Hanks being in Pittsburgh at one point filming something, but I thought that might have been from the Mr. Rogers movie in 2019ish. I took to Google, and sure enough, A Man Called Otto was largely filmed in Pittsburgh. It had that steel town vibe and the pervasive winter grayness. I just knew it. 

I mention this because that kept us interested in the movie...it has a slow start. It's based on a Swedish book, A Man Called Ove. I have not read the book, so I can't comment on that. The movie was honestly a bit lackluster and slow. The storyline is a bit predictable, and the gist of it reminded me of The Grinch repurposed with more 'adult' themes. BUT, I am glad that it was turned into a film. 

It's still worth the watch. 

Over the years, I have felt the world's weight, as I am sure you all have. Life can be hard for a myriad of reasons, whether big or small. I can see its effects on people played out in real life and on social media.

I am such an optimist. I want love, happiness, and peace for everyone. I want everyone to feel supported and to know what it is like to see the glass half full. I truly, deeply, badly want that for every single person. But I am not naive; I know reality. Life is hard and, unfortunately, much harder for some than others. Life also ebbs and flows. It can't be rainbows and butterflies always. 

I felt that Tom Hanks' character could have been any person going through something terribly hard. The storyline was unremarkable because it was mundane and could be anyone's reality at any given time. I think I felt more connected to the film because it was set in Pittsburgh and had that heavy gray winter setting that we Pittsburghers all know and probably dislike at times. 

I am glad it was turned into a film because it was a moving reminder to love your neighbor... literally. Even if your neighbor seems like a curmudgeon like Hanks was in the film. It displays that small acts of kindness, a feeling of community and belonging, can change someone's life.

I think reminding people to be kind seems cliché at times. Everyone seems to be preaching it and while it's a nice sentiment, sometimes it's so overused that the message can get lost or feel contrived.

But there is so much power in true, genuine kindness; this movie illustrated that. One person can change someone's life for the better, even just by doing something they think is small or no big deal! 

Though it wasn't a favorite movie or necessarily award-worthy, I'm glad I watched it. It was a poignant reminder of the importance of being kind, gentle, and understanding.

"To know one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Outfit

This outfit has nothing to do with the sentiment of this post... though, I guess it does because these photos were taken in Pittsburgh, ha! This Dress is a style I already owned in the fall. I loved it so much, I knew I had to get a print for spring. It's one of those dresses that just works for my body and is comfortable and easy to wear but can be dressed up or down! I am wearing a size small and it runs roomy. I should have sized down to XS, but this small works fine, too.